All Posts By Sarah De Heer

No one may know the pressures of reality cooking competitions better than Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli. She’s a force in Kitchen Stadium and arguably one of the most-straightforward Chopped judges at the table. Beyond competitions, she’s a chef who has been wowing patrons for years at her restaurants. Simply said: Alex knows her stuff and can probably describe it better than anyone else.

This past Sunday, Alex joined Alton and Bobby at the judges’ table for a special Chopped-themed episode of Star. Star Talk recently caught up with Alex and asked her about her time on the show, including her reaction on Danushka’s infamous “bored” comment.

Your face was priceless when Danushka revealed her “boredom” during the challenge. What was your initial reaction to hearing that? Was that a Chopped first for you?AG: Standing on the middle of the subway at rush hour, waking up late for a final exam or frying an egg for the queen of England would be less stressful than that kitchen. I think boredom is a curious reaction. I also think if you know you’re bored, and cooking is such a demanding profession, it might not be a good fit.

Someone will get chopped on this Sunday’s appropriately themed episode of Star (watch an extended preview here). Like most Star and Chopped endings, it won’t be pretty. And it wouldn’t be a real Chopped experience without a Chopped judge present — Alex Guarnaschelli, especially. Alex has judging down to a T, not to mention she understands the stress of these competitions, having recently won The Next Iron Chef.

Standing in front of the judges’ table on Chopped is scary for any contestant, especially when he or she is waiting to hear the criticism from the judges. Both Alton and Bobby have admitted they believe Alex is the scariest Chopped judge to face. But what do you think? Vote in Star Talk’s poll below.

Fans saw Russell make an incredible comeback this past Sunday night on Star with his bacon-bourbon marmalade burger. But when it comes to Russell's point of view, viewers are still stuck on this one question: What exactly is an underground chef?

Every Sunday, Bobby, Giada and Alton take on the difficult task of eliminating one finalist in the quest to help guide fans to vote for Food Network’s next sensation. And this is no easy task. Check back here every week to read Star Talk’s exclusive exit interview with the latest Star hopeful to leave Star Kitchen.

If you missed the show and recorded it, don’t read any further — Star Talk is about to chat with the latest finalist to go home.

A childhood obesity prevention coach, Andres Guillama, was the second finalist sent home from the competition. His inability to commit to what could have been a successful culinary viewpoint prevented his growth on camera and in front of the focus groups. His “bland food,” according to Bobby, didn’t help his case. Week one’s potato omelet with chorizo lacked seasoning, and last night’s burger wasn’t much different. Despite being eliminated, he left the competition confident in his future.

The first episode of Star encompasses so much information: fans meet the finalists, they’re introduced to the finalists’ POVs, which may or may not change throughout the season, and, most-intriguing, fans get a good grip on individual personalities. Which Star contestant will have the most spirit? Which one will act as the mom of the group? And which will cause the most trouble?

With a lineup of finalists who have competed on Chopped, Iron Chef America and Extreme Chef, just to name a few, the competition is more cutthroat than ever, and with that brings natural rivalries. In the first episode, two pairs of rivalries were quickly established: Danushka vs. Lovely and Russell vs. Viet.

Popsicles: They’re nostalgic treats that put a smile on any kids face and while adults can enjoy them, too, it’s just not the same. This summer, Food Network Kitchens is changing that with a recipe that brings the two best parts of summer together: cocktails and ice pops. Learn how to make these tasty, spirited and eye-catching Bourbon Pops — serve them to adults at your next barbecue and watch their eyes light up just like the good ol’ days.

Find out what you’ll need to create these cold treats by clicking the play button above.

The newest season of Star kicked off this past Sunday night, and along with 12 new contestants, there are a couple of new features added to the show that may be unfamiliar to fans. This handy little guide should help navigate you through the next 10 ...

Eleven episodes, 12 contestants, countless challenges and only one ultimate dream come true. Every Sunday, Bobby, Giada and Alton will take on the difficult task of eliminating one finalist in the quest to help guide fans to vote for Food Network’s next sensation. And this is no easy task. Check back here every week to read Star Talk’s exclusive exit interview with the latest Star hopeful to leave Star Kitchen.

If you missed the show and recorded it, don’t read any further — Star Talk is about to chat with the first finalist to go home.

The quest to become the next Food Network Star is no ordinary competition, and as the show enters its ninth season, the challenges are getting more grueling and the expectations more demanding. And now fans can experience Star like never before. Into...

This past Tuesday, FN Dish announced that Melissa d’Arabian will be the newest Food Network star to join the FN Dish roster of writers, tackling everything from budget-friendly meals and ideas to sharing her own experiences as a working mom raising four young girls. Food, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, parenting ideas — come back every other Thursday to read Melissa’s posts.

To celebrate her new column, we’re giving away five autographed copies of Melissa’s first cookbook, Ten Dollar Dinners. It’s packed with fresh meals — more specifically, 140 mouthwatering recipes, like Caprese Tartlets, Slow-Cooker Tortilla Soup, Grilled Two-Cheese Burgers and a Classic Apple Tart — for any night of the week.

You can order a copy right now, but we’d like to give you a chance to win one that Melissa has autographed. All you have to do is comment on this post by telling us which one of her recipes is your favorite and why (you must include the URL — find a list of Melissa’s recipes here). We’re giving away five signed copies of her cookbook to randomly selected and very lucky commenters.